About 40 years ago, Punta Cana and Bávaro in the Dominican Republic were two separate towns, each dotted with fishing huts overlooking the golden-hued coast. Today, the two areas have more or less merged, and the beachfront resorts linking them are like cities unto themselves. U.S. News & World Report says that “most visitors to the Dominican Republic, not just Punta Cana, end up on the beaches of Bávaro.” The all-inclusive Grand Paradise Bavaro puts you in the center of the action—atop one of Bávaro’s popular palm-lined beaches known by the locals as Arena Gorda, Spanish for “fat sand.”

The gentle waters here are cordoned off by a 24-mile-long reef. You can easily swim, kayak, sail a catamaran, or snorkel amid underwater shipwrecks—activities all available for free through Grand Paradise. On land, head to the basketball and volleyball courts or play ping-pong and billiards. The resort’s offerings are seemingly endless—you can play bocce ball, take a dance lesson, or learn how to scuba dive.

All-inclusive privileges extend to a variety of restaurants dishing up everything from local Dominican food to Italian and Asian specialties. Wine is served with lunch and dinner, and you can grab an unlimited number of drinks from any onsite bar. There's a discotheque, sports bar, beach bar, and piano bar. After enjoying the nightly show at the amphitheater, retire to one of the resort’s superior beach rooms, where you can enjoy the island’s pleasant year-round climate from a terrace or balcony.

During extended stays, the resort’s tour desk can easily arrange a daytrip to check out other parts of Hispaniola island. Head 45 minutes out to the Samaná Peninsula—described by Christopher Columbus as “the fairest land on the face of the earth”—for its rainforest-covered mountains and whale-watching opportunities.

Punta Cana, Dominican Republic: Miles of White-Sand Beaches

When Christopher Columbus landed on the Dominican Republic more than five centuries ago, he described it as "a beautiful island paradise." Punta Cana, located on the island's easternmost tip, lays legitimate claim to that description. The coast stretches for more than 20 miles and is dotted with coconut palms, chaise lounges, and laid-back bars. Glitzy resorts feature prominently along the shoreline, but Playa El Cortecito, a short drive up the coast, harks back to earlier times. Brightly colored, thatched-roof shacks line the beach, and local fishermen bring their boats to shore each afternoon with the day's catch.